Pope John Paul is sending a special representative to Iraq in hopes of preventing war. The envoy is Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, emeritus president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He is due to leave Rome Monday.

Top Vatican clerics said a preventive strike on Iraq would have no legal or moral justification. The pope has said war against Iraq would be a "defeat for humanity."

The pope plans to meet with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz on Friday -- the day U.N. weapons inspectors are to deliver progress reports to the Security Council. (Albawaba.com)